Following a meeting with the Chair and Chief Executive of Culture and Sport Glasgow, Culture Minister Michael Russell is undertaking a series of visits to Glasgow cultural sites this morning.
Mr Russell is accompanied by Bailie Liz Cameron and Bridget McConnell on visits to Trongate 103, the new Riverside Museum site and the Burrell Collection.
The Minister said:
"Glasgow is a world-renowned city of culture and it is of no doubt that its museums and galleries are of great value. I am in Glasgow today to meet Bailie Cameron and Bridget McConnell, as part of my commitment to engaging with the museums sector here and across Scotland to understand the range of issues it currently faces.
"In the coming months, I will host a full-day summit to give the whole Scottish museums sector the opportunity to raise and discuss exactly these types of issues and their vision for supporting cultural excellence.
"Of course it is for Glasgow, as is the case with every other local authority, to support and fund its own museums and galleries. There is often a parallel drawn between funding of Glasgow's museums and funding of the National Museums and Galleries based in Edinburgh and other locations around the country. This is not a fair comparison to make. The national collections are precisely that - national collections that belong to the people of Scotland - in exactly the same way that Glasgow's collections belong to the people of Glasgow.
"That said, there is clearly an issue here that needs to be looked at. That is why I look forward to engaging with all those involved, at the museums summit early this summer.
"In discussions about central government funding for cultural institutions, it is worth noting that while the National Museums and Galleries are headquartered in Edinburgh, four of the five centrally-funded National Perfroming Companies are based in Glasgow."
Bailie Liz Cameron, Chair of Culture and Sport Glasgow, said:
"I am delighted to welcome Mike Russell to Glasgow, in his new role as Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution. Today we've seen one of the City's most loved cultural treasures, the Burrell Collection and the site of what is certain to be a future leading attraction, the new Riverside Museum, together with Trongate 103, one of Europe's upcoming visual arts centres.
"It is our hope that through continued dialogue Glasgow can further enhance its major art and cultural infrastructure programmes and strengthen the City's reputation as a vibrant cultural destination."